Chelsea's Worst Fears Confirmed as Frank Lampard Moves to Manchester City on Loan

By Lou Flavius

Getty Images

No one saw this one coming. Frank Lampard to wear lighter shade of blue? I guess so. Manchester City FC have confirmed that the former ChelseaFC midfielder will be joining the club on loan till January. Lampard ended his 13-year career with the Blues last month and subsequently joined New York City FC on a two-year deal. This club shares ownership with Man City and the New York Yankees.

Lampard began his professional career at West Ham in 1997, and he moved to Chelsea in 2001 where he enjoyed an illustrious metier. During a match against Aston Villa in 2013, he became Chelsea’s all-time leading scorer after netting two goals which tied and surpassed the record previously held by Bobby Tambling. Lampard made 648 appearances for Chelsea and scored 211 goals during his lengthy stint. He hauled in three Premier League titles, four FA Cup trophies, two Carling Cup trophies, the UEFA Champions League Title and the UEFA Europa League Title during his Chelsea career.

No Premier League midfielder has scored as many League goals as Lampard has (171), and he is second only to Ryan Giggs in the assist department. In 2005 he was voted the FWA Footballer of The Year; in that same year, he was runner-up in both the FIFA World Player of The Year award and the Ballon d’Or. Lampard has also shone on the International stage, scoring 29 goals in 106 caps for his country.

At 36, Lampard is no longer assured of a starting role in the current Chelsea squad, so it did not come as much of a surprise when he decided to part ways with the Blues in search of regular first team football. The shock, however, came when it was rumored that he would be joining Manchester City on loan to keep fit for the upcoming MLS campaign which does not commence until January of 2015. The deal has since been confirmed. It certainly seems like an attempt to get under the skin of Chelsea fans and club manager Jose Mourinho; watching Lampard play for City may be the hardest thing for a Chelsea fan to do. City do not need Lampard; they already have quality midfielders within their ranks, and it is obvious that there is an ulterior motive here. But being the good sport that he is, Lampard has asked not to be selected for games against Chelsea.

A few Chelsea fans have gone as far as referring to Lampard as a traitor, but he is far from that and such comments are nothing short of blasphemous. Lampard has done a lot for the club, and we may never see another Chelsea player perform at such a high level for such a long period. He is and will always be a club legend. Lampard is undoubtedly the best footballer of his generation. His knack for making late runs and scoring goals is still unrivaled in the game. He will always be fondly remembered by true Chelsea fans, and I am sure that he will return to the club in some capacity one day. It will not be easy seeing him don City’s colors, but fans can rest easy knowing that if he scores 211 more goals during his loan spell, none of them will be against Chelsea.